Everything old is new again. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Einstein faced the same kind of opposition that climate scientists face now.
First, from a review of a 1920 German book on the topic ...
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1111/1111.2181.pdf
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According to Wazeck, the successes of relativity marginalized those that had different ideas: academics of a different opinion, such as Gehrcke and Lenard, would increasingly find themselves on the margins of their profession, as their candidates for positions would be more easily overlooked and their institutional desires would be less likely to be fulfilled. Welträtsellöser, likewise, would find it ever more difficult to get their ideas published in respected journals, or be awarded speaking time at scientific meetings. Modern science, most prominently represented by Einstein's mathematical physics, had sidelined them. Thus, anti-relativists were only clamoring to the defense of their own ideas and scientific stature; to them, Einstein was the assailant.
Relativity threatened the "knowledge systems" of its opponents. These were quite varied, ranging from mechanical world pictures to occultist perspectives, but anti-relativists were quick to suspend their differences of opinion: facing a common enemy, they realized that they stood stronger, and their opposition would be more credible, when they stood together. Anti-relativists consequently built up networks to act against Einstein's theory in concert. This led to some success. For instance, the clamor about the theory in Germany contributed to the Nobel committee's delay in awarding its 1921 prize to Einstein, and to the particular choice of subject for which he finally did receive it: his account of the photoelectric effect, instead of the controversial theory of relativity.
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And concerning the "citizen scientist" contingent ...
Who Were Einstein's Opponents?
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Non-academic researchers like Patschke announced public lectures, submitted essays, and tried to establish contact with Einstein and other leading scholars in order to warn them — as well-intentioned colleagues — of the falsehood of the theory of relativity and to convince them of the veracity of their own scientific worldviews. Patschke and others like him were often simply ignored; in other instances, it was patiently explained how their criticisms of the theory of relativity had completely missed the mark. But because their observations were anchored in specific worldviews, Patschke and his associates were immune to this type of criticism. Einstein's opponents were simply not prepared to question their own worldviews and instead sought alternative explanations for why their objections were disregarded by the academics. With time, many turned to conspiracy to account for their marginal status: plots favoring Einstein, so they imagined, explained his success and their marginalization. Having reached this point, any sort of resolution of the controversy had become impossible.
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First, from a review of a 1920 German book on the topic ...
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1111/1111.2181.pdf
---
According to Wazeck, the successes of relativity marginalized those that had different ideas: academics of a different opinion, such as Gehrcke and Lenard, would increasingly find themselves on the margins of their profession, as their candidates for positions would be more easily overlooked and their institutional desires would be less likely to be fulfilled. Welträtsellöser, likewise, would find it ever more difficult to get their ideas published in respected journals, or be awarded speaking time at scientific meetings. Modern science, most prominently represented by Einstein's mathematical physics, had sidelined them. Thus, anti-relativists were only clamoring to the defense of their own ideas and scientific stature; to them, Einstein was the assailant.
Relativity threatened the "knowledge systems" of its opponents. These were quite varied, ranging from mechanical world pictures to occultist perspectives, but anti-relativists were quick to suspend their differences of opinion: facing a common enemy, they realized that they stood stronger, and their opposition would be more credible, when they stood together. Anti-relativists consequently built up networks to act against Einstein's theory in concert. This led to some success. For instance, the clamor about the theory in Germany contributed to the Nobel committee's delay in awarding its 1921 prize to Einstein, and to the particular choice of subject for which he finally did receive it: his account of the photoelectric effect, instead of the controversial theory of relativity.
---
And concerning the "citizen scientist" contingent ...
Who Were Einstein's Opponents?
---
Non-academic researchers like Patschke announced public lectures, submitted essays, and tried to establish contact with Einstein and other leading scholars in order to warn them — as well-intentioned colleagues — of the falsehood of the theory of relativity and to convince them of the veracity of their own scientific worldviews. Patschke and others like him were often simply ignored; in other instances, it was patiently explained how their criticisms of the theory of relativity had completely missed the mark. But because their observations were anchored in specific worldviews, Patschke and his associates were immune to this type of criticism. Einstein's opponents were simply not prepared to question their own worldviews and instead sought alternative explanations for why their objections were disregarded by the academics. With time, many turned to conspiracy to account for their marginal status: plots favoring Einstein, so they imagined, explained his success and their marginalization. Having reached this point, any sort of resolution of the controversy had become impossible.
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